Dentist near San Jose provides tips for keeping your smile white

Keeping your smile sparkling is a popular topic of discussion these days. Entire aisles of the grocery store are dedicated to products claiming to improve your smile and late night infomercials promise to deliver dramatic results quickly. It's no surprise that the market is full of options, teeth whitening is really one of the easiest ways to see improvement in your smile. Dr. Munira Lokhandwala at StarBrite Dental has been helping patients in and near San Jose, CA, improve their smiles with professional teeth whitening that offers better, and more predictable, results.

However, the need for teeth whitening products can be eliminated or the time between treatments can be lengthened by making these changes to your daily routine:

Brush and floss: Everyone knows that brushing and flossing keeps your gums and teeth healthy and free from decay and disease. However, these habits also help improve the appearance of your teeth by removing food particles that could stain and darken the teeth. Ideally, you should brush after every meal. If that's not practical, ensure that you have at least two effective teeth brushing sessions each day. That means not rushing through it and getting out the floss before bedtime.

Drink water: In addition to the overall health and wellness benefits of water, it also helps to keep your teeth healthy. Drinking water helps to rinse away those food particles from dark foods and beverages.

Avoid dark foods and beverages: Some food and drink items, such as coffee, tea, red wine, beets, red pasta sauce, and cranberries can cause your teeth to become stained. If you can eliminate your morning cup (or three) of coffee, you'll see a great improvement in the brightness of your smile over time. If you can't kick the coffee or dark cola beverages, try using a straw to avoid having the dark liquid touch the outside of your teeth. Other helpful ideas include brushing after you drink or eat these items or rinsing your mouth with water to help eliminate some of the particles.

Kick the habit: Smoking has a number of negative effects on your health, but it's also a leading cause of yellow and discolored teeth. Further, cigarettes and tobacco products create a perfect environment for bacteria to grow in the mouth which can lead to other oral wellness problems.

Visit the dentist: Your regular dental visits are important for two reasons. First, it gives your dentist a chance to spot any irregularities or potential problems in your mouth before they develop further. Second your teeth will be professionally cleaned by a trained hygienist using professional equipment. This practice allows the dental team to remove plaque and bacteria that simply can't be reached at home.

Keeping your teeth white and your smile healthy is important to the entire team at StarBrite Dental. Call today to schedule an appointment.